Members and Friends of Medford Historical Society
Volunteer Opportunities Available -- There's Something For Everyone

For over 100 years the Medford Historical Society has been working to capture, preserve and celebrate the history or one of New England's oldest cities. From Pre-Columbian America, through the Civil War and on to the present day, MHS's collection of artifacts, art work, books and documents is continuously expanded and preserved by volunteers. History is today and we welcome your participation! Volunteering at MHS is a great chance for you to:

• learn more about our city's complex evolution
• acquire new skills
• use your creativity
• meet new and interesting people
• help a public organization flourish

Below is a sampling of volunteer opportunities. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to participate or if you have new ideas.

Sunday Staff - Barbara Kerr at Cloaking

Join our expanding group of core staffers who help ensure that MHS headquarters is open to the public each Sunday afternoon from Noon-4 p.m. Volunteers greet visitors, sell books and other items, and help with reference and general information questions. Volunteers will be trained in the Sunday procedures and introduced to the basic books, indexes, files, photos, and other resources most commonly used in Medford research.

Time: A commitment of at least two hours on Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m. at least four Sundays per year. Training time would be one Sunday afternoon from two to three hours.

Website Committee - Fred Schlicher at Cloaking

Join this committee to help plan the future development of the website and to work with the Society webmaster to keep the website up-to-date and relevant to members and the general public. As a committee member you will work closely with the Board and Committee Chairs to collect and develop the copy necessary for updating the website. We are particularly interested in volunteers who have internet, marketing and/or writing skills.

Time: Estimated 40 to 60 hours a year.

Garden Committee Chair - John Anderson at Cloaking

The Society has a small, narrow garden in the front of the building which needs an interested gardener to develop a plan for the landscaping, work with the Volunteer Coordinator to organize work parties to develop and maintain the garden and ensure that during the growing season proper weeding and watering are provided. This project is a creative opportunity that can be expanded or modified to fit your vision and availability.

Time: Estimate 60 hours a year over the Spring, Summer and early Fall.

House Committee - John Anderson at Cloaking

1) Additional Committee Members - Help us assess the maintenance needs of MHS headquarters and the historic Peter Tufts House, and develop long-range maintenance and energy-efficiency plans. Participation is open to everyone, particularly those who have construction, electrical or facilities management background. Our primary goals are to oversee energy audits, make interior repairs and work with the MHS Garden Committee to improve and maintain the grounds of our headquarters.

Time: The committee meets four evenings a year for two to three hours. Any other time commitment would depend on the nature of a project.

2) Light Housekeeping Brigade - The exhibition area of MHS headquarters needs regular, light cleaning. We are looking for a volunteer or volunteers to come in once a month to vacuum, dust and tidy up a bit. On occasion we also need help setting up and taking down exhibitions at the headquarters.

Time: Once a month for one to two hours.

3) Snow Shovel Staff - When the snow flies we need a healthy soul to come by MHS headquarters with a shovel and broom to clear and sweep its front entryway and adjacent sidewalk.

Time: An average of four times a snow season. If a snow accumulation is less than a foot, the effort should take around 30 minutes. The volunteer must be in good general health and fit for the task, and have access to a snow shovel and broom.

Event Committee - Kyna Hamill at Cloaking

Join our committee to help plan programs, lectures, member events and educational activities. The sky's the limit when it comes to innovation, diversity and good cheer. As a committee member you would help formulate a calendar of events, establish a “road show” of displays, help out with event tables and arrange for refreshments at MHS programs.

Time: The committee meets four evenings a year for two to three hours. Other time commitments would depend on the nature of a special event.

Fundraising Committee - John Anderson at Cloaking

Join this committee to help plan fundraising events and develop outreach campaigns so MHS can pursue projects and keep its operations going. Participation is open to everyone, particularly those who have marketing and fundraising experience. The committee's primary focus is on formulating fundraising strategies and events, identifying external grant opportunities and working with MHS's Historic House Marker Committee (see below).

Time: The Committee meets five evenings a year for two to three hours. Other time commitments would depend on the nature of a campaign or special event.

Historic House Marker Committee - Susan Gerould at Cloaking

Working with the fundraising committee, members will generate and manage publicity materials to inform Medford homeowners about the program and encourage their participation. We are particularly interested in volunteers who have marketing experience and/or writing skills to promote this growing program. Volunteers will receive layout and design support as needed.

Time: Estimated 40 to 60 hours a year.

Historical and Genealogical Research Projects - Gerry Hershkowitz at Cloaking

1) Develop "Medford HistoricalL Overview" Dispaly Poster - Create a poster or set of flip charts to orient visitors to MHS headquarters with the collection and the basics of Medford history. This project is a creative opportunity that could be expanded or modified to fit your vision. It will involve several volunteers with basic visual-communication skills such as research, writing, layout and production.

Time: Estimated 30 to 50 hours over several months.